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tmcphetridge4's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.75
Nope. This book 100% is not for me. Pretty much from the jump I was disturbed by the content of the book and I did not like how this one was written. I can see how people view it as a stunning debut, but because it is not the type of genre that I like to read, it was a slog to get through. Utterly violent, abusive, abhorrent behavior from just about every party involved. There were multiple times that I had to turn down the volume because I could not stand the content I was listening to. Especially having read Grown first, I thought that the plot twist at the end was cheap. Again, makes you rethink the whole book, which isn't the worst tactic but I don't think it was necessary.
This all being said, I think it opens an interesting conversations on cycles of abuse/trauma and generational trauma.
Graphic: Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Violence, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Grief, Lesbophobia, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Murder
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Bullying, Death, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Physical abuse, Fatphobia, and Mental illness
Moderate: Ableism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
emhicks72's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Pregnancy, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Murder, and Physical abuse
islesbiyana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Hard to celebrate the day you were born when everybody seems to wish you were never born at all. Especially after you come into this world and fuck it all up.
rating: 3.5 stars
trigger/content warnings: death of infant, bullying, r/s between a minor & a young adult, severe bullying, child abuse, gaslighting, racism, lesbophobia, ableism, attempted child SA, references to rape, fatphobia
while i usually do enjoy following stories from an unreliable perspective—and that aspect sure added to intrigue of this book—i still have no idea what to feel about that ending. i understand what jackson's intent was, but there's a part of me that feels like there was there missing things that could've helped tie in together with the final parts while still maintaining the dubious & unpredictable narrative. idk. still, i can def say that jackson succeeded in provoking a certain reaction through that ending.
such a heavy and gritty story about a young girl enduring an abundance of fucked up but infuriatingly real scenarios, it all makes your stomach churn. there were parts that remind you that this was her debut, but it's such an immersive and compelling debut nonetheless.
“What does it mean when you love and hate someone at the same time?” I ask.
He laughs. “It means they family.”
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Gaslighting, Child death, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Animal death, Child abuse, and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Lesbophobia, and Rape
Minor: Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault
catwhisperer's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Death, Murder, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Violence, and Vomit
aprilbethp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Abortion, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Gaslighting, and Grief
jaz_gets_literary's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Child death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Bullying, Child abuse, Vomit, Gaslighting, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Sexual assault, Confinement, Grief, and Murder
Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, and Death of parent
on_your_raedar's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Addiction, Child death, Bullying, Pregnancy, and Mental illness
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Murder, Physical abuse, Religious bigotry, Alcoholism, and Pedophilia
Minor: Lesbophobia, Death of parent, Drug use, Alcohol, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Sexual harassment
manonschuur's review against another edition
3.0
Buiten dat om vond ik het wel een heel interessant boek om te lezen. Er wordt goed weergegeven hoe de opvoeding en het gedrag van ouders kan zorgen dat een kind dingen doet die niet horen. Het legal system in Amerika wordt ook goed weergegeven en het is absurd dat een kind zo gemakkelijk terecht kan staan voor iets waar ze niet genoeg onderzoek voor gedaan hebben. Helaas gebeurd dit in het echte leven ook.
Ben het gewoon alleen niet helemaal eens over het verloop van het verhaal want ik jammer vind.
Graphic: Racism, Violence, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Medical trauma, Murder, and Torture
calamitywindpetal's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Murder, Violence, Racism, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, and Grief
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Blood, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Abortion, and Lesbophobia